Restraining device



June 22, 1937. E. D. BACH 2,084,305-

RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Dec. 25, 1955 ELM 3 l2 lnventor Gum-neg Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES RESTRAINING navroi; s Emma D. Bach, Portland, Oreg;

Application December 23, 1935, Serial No. 55,695

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for retaining demented and unruly patients in bed. My invention embodies a strap which is placed across the upper portion of the patients body, as he is re- 5 cumbent upon a bed, its ends are secured to the side rails of the bed thus holding the patient in a recumbent position upon the bed. The strap is provided with wrist straps or cuffs which fasten about the patients wrists thus preventing him from employing his hands to free himself, inflict injury upon himself or upon others.

I am well aware that restraining devices of this nature have been invented and employed previously, that is to say, straps for holding a patient in bed, which straps are provided with means for securing the wrists and/ or arms of such patient. However in each case I have found that the means for holding the arms and/or wrists of the patient have been such that the patient was caused to suffer severely from cramping of the muscles in his arms by reason of the rigidity of his arms when so held. This suffering in many instances have obstructed or seriously delayed attempts to soothe or quiet or cure the patient.

My invention seeks to overcome these objections by providing the straining strap with cuffs or wrist straps for strapping about the patients wrists which straps are not rigidly secured to the main strap. The cuffs are arranged so that they may be moved back and forth on the main strap to a limited extent. However this movement is limited thus preventing the patient from injuring himself or others, or unloosening himself from the restraining device. On the other hand, the

patient is allowed to move his arms sufficiently to overcome any tendency for his arms to become cramped.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be clearly and concisely described in the following description aided by the several views thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a bed showing my invention being employed thereon. This view shows the manner in which the restraining device is attached to the bed.

Figure 2 is a plan of the View shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view of my invention unattached to a bed. The View shows the construction permitting an altering of the position of the wristbe moved back and forth.

are looped about the side rails 6 of the bed and In the drawing, the fundamental portion of my invention is seen to consist of a main holding strap or band I sufficiently long to extend across a bed. This strap may be made of any material suitable for the purpose, such for instance, as a 5 strong web strap. Inasmuch as this strap is to be secured across the upper portion of a patients body it should be sufiiciently wide to avoid binding into the patients flesh and causing him injury. The ends of the strap I are providedwtih strap 10 extensions 2 whichmay be integral therewith or sewn thereto as herein shown. These extensions are provided with a buckle 3 into which the ends of the portions 2 are secured thus making fastening loops as will be readily. understood. In operation 15 the patient is placed in a recumbent position upon the bed 4, covered with the bed clothing 5, though his arms are permitted to be outside the clothing. The strap is placed about the upper portion of the patients body as across his chest. The ends 2 20 secured through the buckles 3, thus holding the patients body against movement, with his arms free from strap I.

Secured to the upper face of the strap, prefer- 25 ably sewn thereto as will appear, is the cufi holding strap 7. This has end portions 8 sewn to the strap I, and an intermediate portion 9 sewn to the strap I, leaving two unsewn portions II] which are free from the strap I. To the unsewn por- 3O tions are slidably secured the cuffs I I, one to each portion. These cuffs consist of an outerstrap I2 provided, with a buckle I 3 and encircling the unsewn portions I0 and an inner protective strap Id of soft material to protect the patients wrists. 3 The inner strap is adequately and at the proper points secured to the outer strap to prevent removal. The inner strap ends overlap to protect the patients wrists against the buckle I3. The cuff is free to be moved back and forth along the 40 unsewn portion Iii. The patients wrists are secured in the cufis I I and the outer strap is looped and secured in the buckle I3 preventing the removal of the wrists. The patients arms are slightly bent in order to get his wrists in the cuffs. 5

From the foregoing it will be seen that the patient may move his wrists back and forth to the full extent of the unsewn portions III. The length of the unsewn portions is sufficient to allow the patient to exercise his arms and overcomeja 5o cramping condition. The length of the sewn central portion 9 is sufficient to prohibit the patient getting his hands in position to release the cuffs II. i

In the employment of the invention in connec- 1. In a restraining device, an elongated strap having straps and buckles at each end and adapted to be placed over the; upper body portion of a 15 patient in a recumbent position upon a bed and the end straps buckled about the side rails of the bed,

a secondary strap upon the upper face of the first strap and secured thereto in a manner leaving portions unsecured, and cuffs adapted to be secured around each wrist of the patient slidably attached to the unsecured portions of the sece ondary strap.

2. In a restraining device, an elongated strap having straps and buckles at each end and adapted to be placed over the upper body portion of a patient recumbent upon a bed and the end straps buckled to the side rails of the bed, cuffs to receive and secure thewrists of the patient, and a slide extending lengthwise of the strap slidably holding the cufis so that they may be moved back and forth longitudinally of the strap.

EMMA D. EACH. 

